Stuck in the Middle
by Luckegurl
Summary: All throughout her years at Hogwarts Lily has been the quiet shy one. Now in her fifth year her character will be tested and she will have to learn that love is something you can't hide from.
1. Before the Storm

Hey everyone. This is my first ever fanfiction entry and really my first attempt at writing other than for school. I wanted to base this story around Lily and James Potter because there is little said about them in the books. They happened before the books and I am curious to how they came to be together and more about them in general. I read many other stories before writing this one and drew inspiration from them. If you have written a story with the same characters and see some of you plot or ideas in my story I am incredibly sorry. I have tried to make this as original as possible even though I used other stories to base mine upon. I hope you all like and review it. It is always great to know what others think of your work because then you can use their ideas in your next work or chapter. Thanx!

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Chapter 1 Before the Storm

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At around 6:00 am on a Monday morning a small tan owl was perched on a lamp past outside of 6734 Meadowbrook Lane. Everyone was sleeping, but in another world the day had already started. 

It was a warm June morning and a small girl lay sleeping peacefully in her bed. The girl happens to be 10 year old Lily Evans, a vivacious red head who lived up to her stereotypes. She was about 4'6" with vibrant red hair down to her shoulders, green eyes that shined like emeralds, and a smile that would melt your heart. She woke up to the soft sound of birds chirping outside her bedroom window. She smiled as she laid awake in her bed with a pattern of tiny flowers and delicate swirls of periwinkle and light blue. She raised her arm while yawning and felt a light tap on her wrist as she heard a tiny clang of metal. It was her charm bracelet brushing against the fine brass designs on the headboard of her bed. She look at it and smiled. It was the first day of summer, June 12th. Every year since she was 5 her mother gave her another charm for her bracelet on the first day of summer. 

She lazily got out of bed and put her feet on the soft pink carpet below her. She ran to get her slippers and walked to the stairs. Slowly, she walked down while looking at all the pictures on the wall. Her sister, Petunia, was in most of them. 

Petunia was 15 and had been at her friends house all weekend. Lily missed her dearly, even though it was only a couple of days. Today Petunia would be coming home and would get her charm too. 

"Good morning sleepy-head." her mother said playfully.

"Hi, mommy. Mmmm. Smells good. What are we having for breakfast?" asked Lily.

"I'm making french toast and hashbrowns, a perfect way to start a perfect summer." replied her mother.

Just then Petunia walked through the door and was soon bombarded by a small girls wrapping her arms around her big sister. 

"I'm so glad you're home! I missed you so much. Our house was so empty without you." said and ecstatic Lily.

"It was only a weekend, but I'm glad to be home. Now we can start summer and get our charms." said Petunia with a slight hint of bored in her voice.

"Okay okay, first have something to eat. I have to tell you girls something. This year your father and I were so busy that we didn't have time to get you girls charms. I promise that you'll get them, just maybe not right now." her mother said.

"Oh, I forgot something. The strangest thing. There was a letter in the mail box, but the mail doesn't come 'till evening. I looked up and saw an owl. An owl! In broad daylight. I tried to shoo it away but it wouldn't move, it was just looking at me with it's big eyes. The letters addressed to you Lily. There's a weird symbol on the back, and the handwriting is to pretty for one of your friends, no offense." said a puzzled Petunia handing Lily the letter.

Lily opened the letter and read it out loud. After she had read it she read it again, just to make sure she still could read and that it was real. 

"Mom, if this letter is telling the truth then magic is real? The I'm a witch? I thought witches were old and ugly, but I'm not old or ugly!" cried Lily trying to decode the letter.

Just then the phone rang, and thank God because it broke the silence.

"Hello?" said Lily.

"Hey Lil, guess what. I just got my letter!" exclaimed her best friend Rachel.

"What letter, what are you talking about?" questioned Lily.

"You know, you got it too. From Hogwarts. My dad's a wizard so I hoped I would be a witch too. Then my dad asked the headmaster if you were coming because your grandmom's a witch too and he said yes! So now we can go learn magic together!" said an excited Rachel.

This was far to much for Lily to take in all at once.

"MOM! How come you never told me! Told us! Does dad know? Is grandpa one too? I can't believe you! Rachel knew before me! She's going, and her dad was one and her told her before. You have no excuse! This is…I…but…!" said Lily going red in the face.

She was lost for words, and all she could her in her head was "HOW COULD YOU!". She was starting to make sense of everything and realized it had to be true. Meanwhile Rachel was still on the phone and heard everything.

"Honey, I'm sorry. We wanted to keep your life and Petunia's life as normal as possible and your father and I agreed that not telling you would be the best way. Your father is not a wizard and neither is your grandfather or me, it's just grandma." Mrs. Evans was shifting nervously in her chair. "We never thought that either of you would be witches so we left he idea alone. We wanted to live a muggle life, and have our lives complicated with the wizarding world. The owl outside you saw Petunia, that's what the wizards use as mailcarriers. This one is Penelope, Penny for short. She's ours. For the past fifteen years she's been living at the school, and now I think you'll need her Lily, she's yours now. Again I'm sorry, but this is very real, so please take it seriously."

Lily was awestruck, she stood there gaping at her mother and then heard a faint "Hello? Lily?" coming from the phone.

"Sorry Rachel" Lily ran to the phone. "Sorry 'bout that. I, uhhh, I gotta go, I'll call you later."

Her father walked in a minute later carrying two small boxes in his hands. They were the charms no doubt. 

"How's my little witch today? And Petunia, how was your weekend?" I have charms for both of you. I've been out all morning trying to find them. I found a wizard hat charm for our little witch and a sun charm to represent summer for our Petunia. " said Mr. Evans breaking the silence.

Petunia was glaring at her sister. Every year her parents find some personal charm for Lily and some dinky charm that could be for anyone for her. Her parents loved Lily. Now this, they're gonna be all over now. So many thoughts were running through her head. All of them had some anger in them. She was so jealous of her sister. Lily the perfect. She always got everything. She got top grades, great friends, and now she gets to do magic. Life was unfair for her. All Petunia had was a few friends, none that she could confide in or were loyal, a crap boyfriend who went out with her just to get some, and pretty low grades. At the moment, she was almost livid.

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Life flew by quickly from then on until around mid August. School was starting in twelve short days and she still didn't have any school supplies. Aside from the short conversation with Rachel she had no idea if any of her other friends were keeping a secret and would see her at the station. Petunia was off the summer camp for her last year. Next year she would have to be a counselor if she wanted to return. Lily used to go to the same camp, but this summer she spent all her time learning about her new world. She had been so good in school and now it was like being back in kindergarten again. 

On one random morning while Lily was watching t.v she saw a commercial for school supplies. 

"Oh my God! Mom, we have to get the stuff for my school! There's a whole list of stuff I need and I don't think we can get them at the store. How are we gonna get them?" exclaimed Lily.

Ring Ring Ring. Just then the phone rang and all her problems were answered.

"Hey Lils, it's Rachel."

"You have no idea how good it is to hear from you. I've have been meaning to call you all summer, I guess I just forgot. Anyway, how are we gonna get our school stuff. I mean where do they sell wands and junk like that?"

"Lily, Lily, Lily. Will you ever learn? There's an entire other world that you're apart of but you just have never seen it. Ask your mom, I'm sure she knows all about it. Her mom probably told her all the wizarding stuff."

"Hey mom, how am I gonna get my school supplies?" Lily now turned her attention to her mother.

"We can go with Rachel's family to Diagon Alley. They always have the stuff for Hogwarts. I'm not sure how to get there anymore so Mr. Levine can help us. It'll be fun." her mother had and excited look on her face.

"Okay, Rach. Mom said we can all go together. She forgot stuff about Diagon Alley, whatever that is, so your dad can help us. I think she's more happy than I am." Lily look sarcasticly at her mom.

"Okay, we can pick you guys up tomorrow at around 1:00. Dad wants to use the fireplace to get there. I don't know how that's gonna work, but oh well. I'll see you tomorrow! Bye." Rachel hung up and Lily was left with her over-excited mother once again.

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The next day started with a bang, something that never happens at the ordinary Evans house.

CRASH!!!!!!!

"What was that!" Mrs. Evans ran to the window to see who could be there. It was too early for Mr. Evans to come home for the day, and Petunia was at summer camp. Mr. Evans was coming home later that night.

Outside was an old junky car that used to be green, now it was caked in mud, scratches, and dents. A girl wearing fishnet stockings, knee-high black boots, a black mini skirt, and a blue tank top that was too small emerged from the drivers seat. 

"Petunia!?!" her mother was shocked.

"Yeah it's me mommy. Like my new look?" Petunia was swirling around in her place.

A guy wearing a leather jacket came out of the car. He pulled Petunia close and started to make-out with her in front of her mother. They were mid-kiss when…

"PETUNIA EVANS! WHAT IN GODS NAME DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING! WHO IS THIS HOOLIGAN, WHAY AREN'T YOU AT CAMP, AND WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WEARING!" her mother had pulled Petunia away from the guy and slapped her in the face. 

"Cool it mother. This here is Enrique, he's my new boyfriend. Camp shmamp, that place was boring, so I hitch-hiked my way home with him. He even let me drive for a while. This is my new look. Like the piercings?" Petunia stuck her tongue out at her mother and flared her nostrils to show her the new stuff.

"Young lady you march right upstairs to your room! Enrique, hit the road buddy, and don't bother ever coming back to MY house again! Petunia, you are so grounded. Don't even bother calling your friends to tell them about your adventure because you don't have a phone anymore, or a computer, or any privileges AT ALL!" Mrs. Evans was just warming up. "Take out those rings in your tongue and nose before I pull them out. Trust me, I'm not kidding. You are a disgrace! You are damn lucky that Lily is going away to school so you'll have no one to give a bad impression to. But now, your father and I can focus all of our energy on MAKING YOUR LIFE A LIVING HELL!" Mrs. Evans was red in the face from all that yelling.

Enrique had given Petunia a good-bye kiss and drove away with a loud screech of tire tracks. Lily was standing there at the door with a look of shock on her face. How could her big sister that she looked up to and loved so much do something so bad? She was in complete dismay. 

"Petunia, how could you do this?" with that Lily ran upstairs in tears. She had hoped that her sister could come to the train to see her off, and that she would be happy. Now she wasn't sure of anything. Petunia had always been a good girl. So what if she didn't get the best grades, at least she tried. 

"Lily, sweetie. It's almost time to go to Diagon Alley. Are you okay? I know it's a shock to see your sister this way, but she'll be okay. By the time you come back for the winter holidays Petunia will be back to normal. 

Rachel and her dad Bill came to their door about thirty minutes later. Lily and her mother had calmed down a little bit and Petunia was locked in her room with to t.v, no computer, and no phone. It was the ultimate punishment for her. 

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They arrived at a run down old bar called the Leaky Cauldron. If you were just passing by it would have been invisible, but to witches and wizards it was the only thing they noticed on the street. 

Inside there were people of all sorts. They all had one thing in common, they wore cloaks and robes in black or brown. Mr. Levine was greeting people left and right, and introducing his daughter, Mrs. Evans and Lily to all his friends. 

"What now Dad?" Rachel was staring blankly at the red brick wall in front of her. "I mean, how are we supposed to get through this.

"Ahh, don't worry dear. You'll see." Mr. Levine had a look of excitement on his face. "Now stand back."

Mr. Levine slowly touched some of the bricks in a pattern. They started to turn in place, and move around. It turned out to be an entrance big enough for a very large person to walk through.

On the other side was something that was somewhat of an amazement to Lily.

"Oh, now I remember. Good old Diagon Alley. I haven't been here in ages." said Mrs. Evans looking like a child.

"Dad, Lily and I are gonna go to the bank and then go shopping. Is that okay." said Rachel.

"Sure, we'll meet you two back here in three hours. Then we can go for sundaes.' said Mr. Levine.

Lily was pulled along my her friend as she look at all the strange sights around her. Everything was so new, she didn't know where to begin.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't watching were I was going." Lily bumped into a boy while staring at the Quidditch Quality Supplies store.

"Oh, no. It was my fault. Me and my buddies were joking around and I didn't see you there." said a young boy.

"Lily, what are you doing. You need to follow me now. A...a…and who are your new friends?" Rachel said while gazing at the boys.

"Oh he's not my fri…." 

"The name is Potter, James Potter. And this here is Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. Pleased to meet you, what's your name.?" said James.

"I'm Rachel Levine and you bumped into Lily Potter. We have to go to Gringotts and get some money to shop with, you guys wanna come?" said Rachel "Ow!" Rachel was elbowed in the side by Lily.

"Sure, we were just on our way there too." said James.

In Gringotts Back little people with pointy noses and long fingers helped them get their money. Lily had to exchange her muggle money to wizard money. It was knuts, sickles, and galleons. Galleons were the best. At James's vault he pulled out a ton of galleons, Lily figured he must have a very good wizarding family. On the other hand his friend Remus pulled out a very small amount of money from his vault. 

After they all had enough money to buy their school things Lily bumped into someone, again.

"Ohh, I am so sorry." she glanced at James "seems I've been bumping into people all day long. I'm Lily Evans." she said sticking her hand out.

"Evans, nice to meet you I'm Severus Snape. I see you've met tweedeldumb, dumber, and dumbest." said Malfoy grinning at James, Sirius, and Remus.

"Hey Snape, back off. Diagon Alley is big enough for all of us so just go away." said Rachel trying to get out of the situation.

"And who is this, another follower of these three. Well, I wouldn't get to involved with them or you might end up in to hospital wing the first week of school. I have no doubt that they'll make trouble where ever they go. Nice meeting you Evans, and next time I get bumped into I might not be so nice." with that Snape turned and left.

"Who was that guy?" said Lily to James.

"Severus Snape. My worst enemy. Our fathers were enemies too, so it's almost natural for me to hate him. I was hoping he wouldn't be a wizard, but he's in a pure-blood family so chances of him being a squib were few. I guess we'll have to put up with him in school for the next seven years. At least we have friends, 'cause god knows he doesn't" said James triumphantly.

After all their quills, wands, and robes were bought they all went to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor for sundaes.

"So girls, did you get everything you need? Ah, I see you've made some friends. Are you gonna introduce us." said Mr. Levine holding an ice cream cone.

"This is James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. They're gonna be in their first year too. We all got our books and stuff. They're so heavy. It's times like these when I wish I was in public school again." Rachel was being squashed by the weight of her books.

"James Potter, I've heard your name before, I just can't place it. When did your father go to Hogwarts?" Mr. Levine was scratching his head.

"He graduated Hogwarts 21 years ago. Maybe you went to school with him." replied James.

"That's it, we played on the quidditch team together. I was a 7th year when he was a 4th yeah, my he was a good chaser. I was the keeper then. We wouldn't have won all the games we did if it wasn't for him." said Mr. Levine remembering the old days.

"Well, mom. I think we should be off. I have a lot of packing to do and we only have a few days. Bye guys, I'll see you all at the station. Rach, don't forget to pick us up. I don't think we can do the whole magic train thing without you guys. Bye." Lily turned and left with her mother.

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Soon Lily would be off to a world of potions, spells, and of course mischief. Little did she know Hogwarts had much more in store.

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Hope you liked my very first chapter of my very first story. PLEASE review it so I'll know what you liked and didn't like for my next chapter. Thanx!


	2. The Invitation

Thanx to everyone who reviewed my first story! I'll try to eliminate all the stupid mistakes this time. 

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Chapter 2

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Skip ahead to year five.

"Lily, get up. We're gonna be late for breakfast." Lily was quickly taken out of her dream by her friend Rachel. 

"I'm up, I'm up," said Lily lazily. "You woke me up from a really good dream, I was-"

"Ohhh, was it about a boy?" Rachel face lit up.

"No, it was about getting the position of prefect next year. And is that all you think about? Boys?" said Lily with a small grin on her face.

"So what if it is, I'm compensating for your lack of interest in them." said Rachel. 

"You know, speaking of guys, what do you think about Sirius? I mean, not that it matters, just wondering."

"I dunno, I guess he's okay. All I know about him is that he and his friends always play pranks and get in trouble. The most conversation I've ever had with him was four years ago at Diagon Alley, if you even call that conversation," said Lily.

"Oh, well, cause you know how he sits next to me in charms. We've been becoming really good friends now and he invited me to hang out with him and James and Remus on the next Hogsmeade trip." said Rachel shyly. "I know we we're gonna go together, but you can come with us if you want."

"I dunno, I mean, I , well. I, I just don't really know anything about these guys. I was kinda looking forward to having some time just the two of us, ye know, so we can talk and stuff. Besides, they're all such prats. Why bother hanging out with them?" Lily was running out of ways to back up her argument.

"Please, please, please, PLEASE! I'll be your best friend forever!" Rachel was on her knees begging. "I already told Sirius that I would hang out with them, so I can't get out of it now." Rachel was now making puppy-dog eyes at Lily.

"Alright, I'll go with you. But I have to leave early, I still have to write a few inches on the Potions essay. I mean, there really aren't that many uses for lacewings. " Lily was straight lying to her friend, she had finished her essay with two extra inches the night before.

"Oh, you can just borrow some stuff from my essay so then you won't have to leave Hogsmeade early." replied Rachel with a devilish grin. "Bloody Hell! If we don't leave now we'll miss breakfast. Come on."

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Rachel sauntered into the Great Hall and conveniently found a seat next to Sirius. Lily preferred to eat with a quieter crowd went off to sit with Arabella Figg, a 6th year.

"So, how's Hogwarts life treating you? I haven't seen you like all year, what have you been up to?" Arabella was now interrogating Lily.

"Not much. Rachel and I have been having a pretty good year. I mean, it's only November so things can still happen, but I doubt anything big will happen. Nothing ever happens to me," said Lily glumly.

"I wouldn't be so sure. You're a shoe in for prefect next year. I don't know why you didn't get it this year. Maybe because that snobby girl Celia got it. Ye know, she's not that great. She tries so hard to be a friend and an authoritative figure with everyone. You'd be a good prefect, and who knows, maybe a good Head Girl." said Arabella with a smile.

"Ya right, me, Head Girl? In my dreams. Like I'd ever be a Head Girl. Celia gets much better grades than I do, and the teachers like her cause she's such a suck up. She does whatever she can do get the marks, even if it means making everyone else look bad. I have no idea why she's a Gryffindor. She belongs in Slytherin." Lily now had an iced over look that could kill.

"Whoa there, looks like someone's jealous. Does someone have a secret desire to be a stuck up little girl who only wants the best to ensure that no one else gets it? Arabella said in a mocking tone of voice.

"No, no, no, and NO! I just, she just gets on my nerves, my last nerves sometimes." Lily was blushing slightly and trying really hard not to show it.

"Whatever, just don't go do something stupid like Celia would do." Said Arabella as she left the table.

"Okay mom, I won't" said Lily mocking Arabella.

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"So, Sirius, tell me, what do you like best about Hogwarts? I mean, besides me." Rachel was gazing at Sirius like a stalker would stare at a small child.

"Uhhhhh, I dunno. Quidditch I guess. It's pretty cool sometimes. Like, when I hit a bludger and it goes straight at someone with perfect aim and smashes their arm into tiny bits, I like that." Sirius was now on the table acting out the dramatic scene ending it with a high-five from James next to him. 

"Um, yeah, sounds like a lot of fun. So what about you James, do you like Quidditch too? Or is it just a phase with him?" asked Rachel.

"A phase, you wish! Quidditch is my first love, well second besides food and girls." replied James.

"James, that would make it your third love. Think a bit before you speak." said Remus.

"So we're all still on for Hogsmeade today right? And I told Lily she could come too, I mean she is my best friend and all." said Rachel.

"Lily's coming? But she's so annoying." said Sirius.

"You used to be such good friends with her. What happened?" asked Rachel.

"Nothing happened. It's just that she went and got all prudish and too smart to hang out with us. We didn't do anything. Now she goes around with that stuck up girl Arabellla. I mean she wants to be a prefect and then Head Girl. Do you really think that we would ever be friends with someone like that?" said Sirius dribbling orange juice down his chin.

"She's not that bad, really. I've know her forever, we're family friends. She can be fun sometimes, but only after she really knows you." said Rachel.

"So we'll see you both in the common room in a few hours to go to Hogsmeade right?" asked James.

"Yeah, I'm glad you guys are okay with Lily coming. I know she's not your favorite person, but I am, so you guys'll live. So is 1:00 okay for our meeting time?" said Rachel.

"Yeah, 1:00. It's a date." said Sirius.

"Date? What date? Can I come too?" Peter had just sat down next to them and emeadiately jumped into the conversation.

"Peter, will you ever learn? I told you a thousand times not to interupt people or intrude in their conversations. And besides, Sirius doesn't want you tagging along on his date." Said Remus who always tried to keep tabs on Peter. Remus was the father of the group, he always had his friends backs and watched after them.

"Naw, it's okay, you both can come if you guys want. James and I were gonna go to Hogsmeade with Lily and Rachel." said Sirius.

"Lily Evans? The really prudish smart-ass? Why her?" asked Remus.

"Look boys, I've gotta go. But I'll see you all soon." said Rachel. She leaned down so her face was right next to Sirius's and whispered "For our next date, lets not make it a group thing, hmmm?"

With that she left the boys, walking in a beeline to the door, swaying her hips ever so slightly to attract the attention of every boy in the Great Hall. Sirius was left staring at her with one eye-brow raised.

Rachel turned around when she had reached the door. She hoped to see Sirius and wink at him to leave one small lasting impression. To her dismay he wasn't sitting where she left him. Only James, Peter, and Remus remained. She scanned the room and saw him sitting awfully close to a pretty Ravenclaw girl. She glared at the girl for a split second and left dreaming about her "date" to Hogsmeade.

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YAY! I finished chappie number two. Sorry it was so late, I was just really busy (or really lazy, either one). Hope you liked this chapter, it was short, but I promise another one soon. I'm in a writing mood, so you're in luck. Please review! Thanx a bundle!


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